Pneumatic testing device for air filters



Feb. 2, 1965 F. E. FARKAS ETAL 3,167,943

PNEUMATIC TESTING DEVICE FOR AIR FILTERS Filed Jan. 12, 1962 United States Patent l 3,167,948 PNEUMATIC TESTING DEVHCE FUR AIR FILTERS Frank E. Farkas, Chicago, and Russell F. 'Irask, Crystal Lake, IlL, assignors to The Mettle Corporation Filed .Ian. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 165,777 1 Claim. (Cl. 73-38) This invention is directed to new and useful improvements in systems for measuring flow resistance through fluid pervious members, as for example, automobile air filters or other filtering devices.

After use, these filters become partially clogged with impurities or particles removed from the fluid stream passing through the filter. These impurities increase the resistance to air flow through the filter. After a long period of use, for example, an automotive air filter may be so clogged with impurities and its air flow resistance so great that engine efficiency is reduced because of insuflicient air supply through the filter and to the cylinders of the engine.

The major purpose of the present invention is the provision of a system enabling simple measurement and detection of proper or improper flow resistance, through use of a simple and inexpensive apparatus and a simple and readily accessible power supply.

Another purpose of the invention is the provision of a portable flow resistance measuring device which is readily manipulated and supported by the single hand of the user.

A related purpose of the invention is the creation of a simple fiow responsive device and flow resistance indicating system.

These and other purposes of the invention will become more apparent in the course of the ensuing specification, when taken with the accompanying claim and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the present invention with certain parts being illustrated in section for purposes of clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 3, but illustrating a different operative position of the elements.

Like elements are designated by like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

With particular reference to the drawings and in the first instance to FIGURE 1, the numeral designates an elongated tube which provides a flow conduit of a size adapted for ready manipulation by the hand of the user. One end of the tube 10 is canted, as at 11. This end of the tube may make an angle of approximately 60 with the longitudinal axis of the tube. The other end of the tube includes an indicating device which is generally designated at 12.

Flow controlling means are mounted on the tube intermediate the ends thereof. Flow controlling means include a manually actuated on and off valve assembly 13 and a regulating valve assembly 14. The on and off assembly may include a valve body 15 which is welded or otherwise afiixed to the exterior surface of the tube 10. A push button type of valve operator 16 is mounted on the body so that upon depression thereof flow is permitted through the valve body. One end of the body includes an inlet fitting 17, which fitting is provided with a coupling 18 for attachment of a conventional air hose 19 thereto. The air hose 19 may lead to any suitable air under pressure as, for example, a tank in which air under pressure is maintained by a conventional compres- 3,167,948 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 sor. Since the details of the air supply assembly are well known to the art and since they do not form a part of the present invention, they are not illustrated in the drawings.

Valve body 13 includes outlet conduit 20 which is coupled to the inlet side of regulating valve 14. The regulating valve assembly 14 includes a body 21 which is welded or otherwise aflixed to the tube 10. Body 21 has a passageway 22 positioned centrally thereof and extending generally transversely to the axis of tube 10. The passageway 22 terminates within the tube 10 in an orifice 23 formed in a nozzle and directed toward the exit end of the tube, or toward that end having the indicating means 12. The inlet to the valve body 21 is formed through a passageway 24 which extends transversely to the passageway 22 and which is in communication therewith. A needle valve 25 is adjustably mounted on the valve body as by means of a threaded engagement 26 with the valve body so as to allow the needle of the valve to close the passageway 24 or be positioned at selected distances therefrom to allow varying degrees of the flow from the passageway 24 to the passage 22. A lock nut 27 may be threadedly engaged with the needle valve and adapted for a frictional engagement with the side of the body 21 so as to hold the needle valve 25 in a selected, adjusted position. Any suitable means such as the knob 28 may be formed on the end of the needle valve to allow convenient rotation and adjustment of the same.

Thus, when manually actuated valve 16 is opened, air under pressure may flow through the passages 24 and 22 and be directed toward the exit end of the tube 10 through the orifice 23.

The indicating assembly includes a flat plate 29 which forms a flow resisting surface extending across the exit end of the tube 10. Plate 29 is pivotally mounted, as at 30, on a plate 31. Plate 31 is fixed to the tube 10 through any suitable means such as screws 32, welding or the like. Plate 29 has an indicating member in the form of a pointer 33 formed integrally therewith and adapted for movement to various angular positions with respect to pivot 30 in response to varying degrees of flow through the conduit or tube 10. A spring 34 is connected to body 31 and the plate 29 so as to bias the plate 29 toward the closed position illustrated in FIGURE 3. Plate 31 has different areas thereon corresponding to different angular positions of the pointer 33 and plate 29 to indicate varying degrees of flow through the tube 10.

For example, one area may be marked as a replacement area, corresponding to relatively little amount of flow through the conduit 10. This area is designated at 35. Another area 36, which is further removed angularly from the area 35, may be marked good, corresponding to larger amounts of flow. A further position, corresponding generally to the wide open position of the plate 29 illustrated in FIGURE 4, and further angularly removed from the closed position, is designated at 37 and may correspond to a gauge setting of the system.

In the use and operation of the system, the user first connects the system to a conventional air hose as is diagrammatically designated at 19 in the drawings. Valve assembly 13 is then opened allowing flow to be directed through the conduit 10 and against the flow resisting plate 29. The needle valve 25 is then adjusted to either restrict flow or increase flow until the pointer 33 moves to the line corresponding to the gauge setting or area 37 on the indicating means. The relatively high pressure air directed through the nozzle orifice 23 causes suction at the intake side 11 of the conduit and pulls air through the conduit 10 and against the flow resisting surface 29, thus causing movement of the indicating member 33 toward the Wide open position. In this connection, the tension of the spring 34 should be such that when the sure used with the system is allowed to be directed through the tube It), a sufiicient air flow passes through the conduit 10 that the pointer 33 moves past the gauge setting of'the indicating scale. Then by restricting the flow through adjustment of the needle valve 25, the indicating member 33 may be brought to the gauge setting position, which then corresponds to the position of the tube when no obstruction ispresen-ted to the entrance or nozzle end 11 of the tube;

The system' is then properly calibrated for use'in testing flow resistance.

The system is particularly useful in testing flow resistance through air filters as designated at 38 in the draw ings. The user of the system, after properly calibrating the system as aforementioned, may hold an'air filter in one hand and the measuring tube assembly in the other, as is represented in FIGURE 1. The nozzle end 11 is brought up flush'against the-air pervious portions of the filter being tested and by depressing actuating member 16 of the valve assembly 13, suction is created at the nozzle 11 f the conduitlt). Air is pulled through the air filter and directed against theplate 29. If the portion of the air'filter being tested is virtually unobstructed, a relatively large amount of air is pulled through the filter and tube and against member 29, which causes the indicating member 33 to move to the position calibrated on the scale as good. On the other hand, if the portion of the filter being tested is obstructed, relatively little air will pass through the filter and the tube 10, and the flow'may only slightly move the plate 29 away from the exit end of the tube and to one of several posi-- tions corresponding to the replace position of the scale 31. If the filter is totally obstructed, with the result that practically no. air is pulled through nozzle end 11 of the tube, the tension of the spring 34 is sufficient to keep the plate substantially closed against the exit end of the tube.

A circular air filter as designated at 38 may be revolved around the nozzle end 11 until all air pervious areas of the filter have been tested. If the operator gets a replace reading at any position tested, he knows that the filter should be replaced.

The system is particularly well suited for situations where air pressure in a tank or reservoir may vary from place to place. or from day to .day'at the same place. In this connection, the operator, through simple adjustment of the needle valve 25, easily calibrates the system for the particular value of air pressure being used.

Whereas we have shown and described an operative form of the invention, it should be understood that this showing and' description thereof should be taken in an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only. There are many modifications in and to the invention which will fall within the scope and spirit thereof and which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claim.

We claim:

A system for measuring and indicating the gaseous flow resistance of a pervious member including an elongated conduit having a gate pivotally mounted on one end thereof; said gate being mounted for movement between a position wherein said gate is transversely opposed to flow through said conduit and a position generally aligned with the direction of flow, said conduit having an intake nozzle at one end thereof, a nozzle support/ed within said conduit and having an outlet orifice directed toward said gate, a pressure delivery conduit connected to said nozzle, and adapted for connection to a source of fluid under pressure, a valve in said conduit for openvaive in said delivery conduit for restricting the pressure from said source and maintaining the pressure sufiicient to move said pointer to said first mark when said intak nozzle is unrestricted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENT 1,799,009 Negro -1 Oct. 21, 1930 2,061,032 Hufi Nov. 17, 1936 2,461,351 Silverman Feb. 8, 1949, 2,748,598 Stearns June 5, 1956 y FOREIGN PATENTS 619,002 Canada Apr. 25, 1961 

